Bérénice A. Benayoun

Bérénice A. Benayoun, PhD

@bbparis1984.bsky.social

3.3K followers 2.8K following 190 posts

Associate prof @USC Gero. She/her.
French 🇫🇷 scientist. Aging👴🏻👵🏻, omics🧬, immunity (macrophages/neutrophils)🦠, sex-dimorphism ⚧️, hormones.
Mouse 🐁 and turquoise killifish 🐟.
Views my own.
http://gero.usc.edu/labs/benayounlab/
ORCID: 0000-0002-7401-4777 .. more

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Medicine 19%

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Bérénice A. Benayoun, PhD @bbparis1984.bsky.social · Jul 17

🚨 Another preprint from the lab out today! 🚨
This work led by former trainee Dr. Juan Brado @the-te-guy.bsky.social and new grad student Ms. Eyael Tewelde, to undertstand how upregulation of a single retrotransposon (here, AluJB) impacts cellular phenotypes! A 🧵, 1/9
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

A multi-omics analysis of human fibroblasts overexpressing an Alu transposon reveals widespread disruptions in aging-associated pathways

During aging and cellular senescence, repetitive elements are frequently transcriptionally derepressed across species and cell types. Among these, the most abundant repeats by copy number in the human...

www.biorxiv.org

Bérénice A. Benayoun, PhD @bbparis1984.bsky.social · 25d

We are grateful for funding from the @cziscience.bsky.social data insights program for supporting this study, which we hope will be useful for the field!
#ovarian #singlecell #genomics #aging
Find the preprint at www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Single-cell exploration of ovarian aging across vertebrate models

Mammalian female reproductive span is thought to be limited by a fixed "ovarian reserve" determined at birth. With age, a dwindling ovarian reserve leads to infertility, culminating in menopause in hu...

www.biorxiv.org

Bérénice A. Benayoun, PhD @bbparis1984.bsky.social · 25d

Minhoo also leveraged #ASGARD to identify potential drugs that could revert transcriptional aging signatures across cell types and across species, yielding candidate conserved anti-ovarian aging compounds which will deserve further investigation. 5/5

Bérénice A. Benayoun, PhD @bbparis1984.bsky.social · 25d

Granulosa and Theca cells, major somatic cell types of ovarian follicles, showed clear changes with aging, with some species-specific gene regulation, but also conserved changes. Importantly, expression of FSHR and OSGIN2 was consistently decreased across datasets and models. 4/5

Bérénice A. Benayoun, PhD @bbparis1984.bsky.social · 25d

Datasets were processed with a unified standardized pipeline for easy #integration and #comparison. This included analysis of cell proportion changes, differential gene expression, and potential drug repurposing targets. 3/5

Bérénice A. Benayoun, PhD @bbparis1984.bsky.social · 25d

Minhoo identified a number of high-quality #ovarian aging datasets across mammalian species, spanning humans🚶‍♀️, monkeys🐒, mice 🐁, and goat🐐, with samples across the reproductive lifespan. We reasoned this would allow us to identify conserved signatures of #ovarian aging. 2/5

Bérénice A. Benayoun, PhD @bbparis1984.bsky.social · 25d

Happy to share a new @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social from the lab, led by talented postdoctoral fellow #MinhooKim: "Single-cell exploration of ovarian aging across vertebrate models", a meta-analysis study of public ovarian aging sc/snRNA-seq data! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... A 🧵, 1/5 🧬🖥️🧪 #GeroSky

Bérénice A. Benayoun, PhD @bbparis1984.bsky.social · Sep 11

I think mandating preprinting (like many private funders like CZI do) would be the perfect compromise instead of mandating gold OA and then restricting the amount of APC that can be spent. We always preprint before 1st submission in my lab, and I consider it the “director’s cut” anyway.

Bérénice A. Benayoun, PhD @bbparis1984.bsky.social · Sep 5

Undergrad flash talks are starting - the future of #Geroscience research is here!

Bérénice A. Benayoun, PhD @bbparis1984.bsky.social · Sep 5

😅

Bérénice A. Benayoun, PhD @bbparis1984.bsky.social · Sep 5

USC LDS Vice Dean Sean Curran opening the day!!!

Bérénice A. Benayoun, PhD @bbparis1984.bsky.social · Sep 5

#GLAM2025

Bérénice A. Benayoun, PhD @bbparis1984.bsky.social · Sep 5

#GLA2025 is on! attendees from all over and >100 trainee presentations (talks, flash talks, posters)!
Thanks to our sponsors for supporting the event!
#Hevolution @simonsfoundation.org @activemotifusa.bsky.social #CedarsSinai #Vwr #Echo #IDT and @cellpress.bsky.social editor Swapnila Ranu

Bérénice A. Benayoun, PhD @bbparis1984.bsky.social · Sep 5

So excited for #GLAM2025 tomorrow at the Cal Science Center! Looking forward to a day of great science from our LA and SoCal #Geroscience trainees, as well as a keynote from Pr Eileen Crimmins!

Reposted by Bérénice A. Benayoun

Andy Carr @andycarr.bsky.social · Sep 3

can journal editors see how often a deranged manuscript-submitter has checked the status of their submission within ~96 hours of sending it?

asking for...no reason. no reason at all, actually.

Bérénice A. Benayoun, PhD @bbparis1984.bsky.social · Sep 3

The outrage is great, but the reality is gold OA is >>$2K, and capping the spending will have 2 effects: (1) only rich labs will be able to afford publishing in the most prestigious journals, (2) ECR who need these papers in their CVs will be screwed. At this point- not a victory for us scientists.

Adam Kucharski @adamjkucharski.bsky.social · Sep 1

Results so stunningly clear they inspired this classic xkcd (xkcd.com/2400/):

Reposted by Bérénice A. Benayoun

Cell Reports @cp-cellreports.bsky.social · Aug 30

Age-dependent effect of environmental enrichment on the neural 3D chromatin interactome

Gancedo-Verdejo et al. reveal age-associated molecular changes in mouse hippocampus and an age-dependent effect of environmental enrichment, focusing on 3D chromatin structure and gene expression. Environmental enrichment promotes aging-like changes in young mice, likely related to brain maturation; conversely, it reverts age-related alterations in old mice, suggesting neuronal rejuvenation.

dlvr.it

Reposted by Bérénice A. Benayoun

Genes & Development @genesdev.bsky.social · Aug 27

REVIEW: Studying ovarian aging and its health impacts: modern tools and approaches
By Bérénice A. Benayoun, Alison Kochersberger, and Jennifer L. Garrison
➡️ genesdev.cshlp.org/content/39/1...

@bbparis1984.bsky.social @jennifergarrison.bsky.social
#reproductiveaging #ovary #aging #womenshealth

Reposted by Bérénice A. Benayoun

Drug Monkey @drugmonkey.bsky.social · Aug 26

grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...

PAR-25-322: Stephen I. Katz Early Stage Investigator Research Project Grant (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts: Stephen I. Katz Early Stage Investigator Research Project Grant (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) PAR-25-322. OD

grants.nih.gov

Reposted by Bérénice A. Benayoun

Asher Wolf @asherwolf.bsky.social · Aug 25

Australia Post halts most parcel postage to US as tariff chaos hits global carriers www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...

Breaking: Australia Post halts most parcel postage to US immediately

Australia Post is taking the extraordinary step of immediately suspending many forms of shipping to the United States, as a Trump administration tariff deadline approaches on Friday.

www.abc.net.au

Bérénice A. Benayoun, PhD @bbparis1984.bsky.social · Aug 26

When boasting of 8-day to 1st decision (and charging >10K APC), it is unbelievable to be unable to provide not even a timeline to 1st decision to authors after ≥6 weeks. #Scientific #publishing is just broken. I hope my trainees can get a respectful and timely review of their work elsewhere. 2/2

Bérénice A. Benayoun, PhD @bbparis1984.bsky.social · Aug 26

A story in 2 panels: submission of a manuscript on July 11th, 6 weeks ago. Inexistent communication from the journal, and a status as "with editor" the whole time. Emailed for an update after 4 and 5 weeks of inactivity. 1/2
#AcademicRant 🧪🧬

Bérénice A. Benayoun, PhD @bbparis1984.bsky.social · Aug 22

What do you do when a journal has been sitting on a manuscript for almost 6 weeks and there still hasn’t been a decision on whether to send out for review? #SMH 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

Reposted by Simon Roux, Larry W. Hunter, Bérénice A. Benayoun

Anshul Kundaje @anshulkundaje.bsky.social · Aug 19

@jengreitz.bsky.social l & my lab want to co-hire a computational biologist/biostatistician with project management expertise to help map the regulatory code of the human genome and discover genetic mechanisms of disease.

Details below
careersearch.stanford.edu/jobs/computa...

Plz RT

Reposted by Bérénice A. Benayoun

Matt Yousefzadeh @mattyousefzadeh.bsky.social · Aug 18

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Sex differences in tissue-specific immunity and immunology

Biological sex exerts a substantial influence on the immune system and immune-related diseases. Males are more susceptible to the acute effects of viral disease and certain cancers, whereas females ex...

www.science.org

Reposted by Michael W. Kraus, Bérénice A. Benayoun

The Daily Northwestern @thedailynu.bsky.social · Aug 17

NU Professor Jane Wu’s daughter and colleagues called her an “outstanding scientist” dedicated to “the greater good.” Before she died in July 2024, she was investigated, then cleared by the government. She still lost her funding and lab space.
—
Reported by William Tong

NIH probe, lab closure preceded NU Feinberg professor death

Northwestern Feinberg Professor Jane Wu’s daughter, colleagues said she was ‘outstanding scientist’ dedicated to ‘the greater good’

dailynorthwestern.com

Reposted by Bérénice A. Benayoun

Max Helmberger @vermivorax.bsky.social · Aug 15

Had to try this out with insects and HOO BOY is this embarrassing.

ChatGPT's response to the prompt "Create a detailed diagram of generalized insect external anatomy, labelling all the major anatomical features such as body regions, mouthparts, and leg segments." It produced a scientific-esque drawing of a wasp-like creature with various incorrect labels. "Compound eye" points to the labrum, "mandible" points to the labial palps, maxilla points to the front tarsi, palpus points to the front pretarsus, coxa and trochanter point to the same on a very deformed middle leg, femur also points to a tarsus, tibia points to the hind pretarsus, head points to the thorax, and thorax points to the wings. The only accurate label is for the abdomen, and then a "cuticle" label that points to the end of the abdomen, which is technically sort of correct but misleading, as the cuticle covers the entire body.

Reposted by Michelle Dion, Bérénice A. Benayoun

Mathieu Ferron @mathieuferron.bsky.social · Aug 15

Faculty position in aging in Montreal!

www.nature.com/naturecareer...

Assistant Professor in Aging - Montréal, Quebec (CA) job with IRIC – Université de Montréal | 12842218

This is for an Assistant or Associate Research Professor position in Aging

www.nature.com

Reposted by Bérénice A. Benayoun

The Transmitter @thetransmitter.bsky.social · Aug 13

FlyBase, a Drosophila database, will lose a third of its team in early October because the Harvard grant that covered the employees’ salaries was canceled. Scientists warn that losing FlyBase could devastate fly research.

By @claudia-lopez.bsky.social

www.thetransmitter.org/community/ha...

Harvard University lays off fly database team

The layoffs jeopardize this resource, which has served more than 4,000 labs for about three decades.

www.thetransmitter.org

Reposted by Alan Richardson, Bérénice A. Benayoun

Dr Sian Gramates @drglam.bsky.social · Aug 13

News via The Transmitter www.thetransmitter.org/community/ha...

Harvard University lays off fly database team

The layoffs jeopardize this resource, which has served more than 4,000 labs for about three decades.

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